Snow grader

ABSTRACT

A snow grader including a frame and a blade thereon, the frame being pivotally connected at a single point behind a towing vehicle, on both transverse and vertical axes so that the grader trails free; the blade is angled for moving the snow laterally, this producing a lateral reaction, and its leading end is tilted down, and because, in this position, the leading end is moving more snow than the trailing end, a reaction force is developed which counteracts the lateral reaction; as a consequence the frame, with the blade, follows straight behind the towing vehicle; the device also includes manually operated means for controlling the positioning of the blade.

te States Patent 1 Brandt et al.

[451 Sept. 4, 1973 SNOW GRADER [22] Filed: Dec. 18, 1970 [2]] App]. No.: 99,625

[52] US. Cl 37/10, 37/41, 172/188,

172/197, 172/666, 172/743 [51] Int. Cl 1130!) 9/00 [58] Field of Search 37/41, 42 R, 42 VL,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 979,255 12/1910 Brown 37/10 2,719,393 10/1955 Bowersox.. 172/197 X 3,598,186 8/1971 Coontz 37/50 X 386,823 7/1888 Holden 37/50 3,539,014 11/1970 Jonsson 37/42 X 2,994,142 8/1961 Newell et a]. 172/188 X 629,543 7/1899 Bush i 37/46 2,786,283 3/1957 Bradley. 37/10 2,973,591 3/1961 Lull 37/43 R 2/1969 Strabala et al 37/46 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,224,347 3/1966 Germany 37/41 146,843 9/1936 Austria 868,085 1/1953 Germany 172/197 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Eugene l-l. Eickholt Attorney-Paul H. Gallagher [5 7 ABSTRACT A snow grader including a frame and a blade thereon, the frame being pivotally connected at a single point behind a towing vehicle, on both transverse and vertical axes so that the grader trails free; the blade is angled for moving the snow laterally, this producing a lateral reaction, and its leading end is tilted down, and because, in this position, the leading end is moving more snow than the trailing end, a reaction force is developed which counteracts the lateral reaction; as a consequence the frame, with the blade, follows straight behind the towing vehicle; the device also includes manually operated means for controlling the positioning of the blade.

7 Ciaims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 4013 3.755930 SHEET 1 M 2 DIRECTION OF TRAVEL 5% afi i);

snow GRADER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the field of moving snow relative to a passageway, and has particular adaptation to a path such as a ski slide and in that case is utilized for moving the snow from the edges or sides of the path toward the center, to replace the show thereon after being displaced by the skiers. However, the device can be utilized for moving or pushing snow from a roadway, for example, onto the sides or shoulders.

BACKGROUND LEADING TO THE INVENTION Heretofore, snow graders generally have been mounted on the propelling vehicles, i.e., they are carried thereby, sometimes before and sometime behind, and the propelling vehicle itself withstood the reaction to the snow in the lateral movement of the snow by the grader, and it was effective for so moving the snow according to its own resistance to sidewise displacement. Also it has been found difficult and expensive for mounting such snow graders directly on the propelling vehicle and difficulties and disadvantages have been encountered because of the difficulty in so mounting the snow grader. In those cases, either the snow grader or the propelling vehicle, and sometimes both, had to be pre-designed to accommodate the other.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A broad object of the invention is to provide a trailing snow grader that can be secured to any type of propelling or towing vehicle and in the use of which it is not necessary to pre-design either the snow grader or towing vehicle for cooperation with the other.

Another object is to provide a snow grader which is of free-trailing character, and having internal counteracting forces, operative for moving snow laterally, and which is capable of absorbing the reaction from that movement, and consequently is self-stabilizing, whereby to follow the towing vehicle in straight direction without lateral support from the vehicle.

Another and more specific object is to provide a snow grader of the character just referred to including a blade, wherein the blade is angled for moving or pushing snow laterally, and in which the leading end is tilted downward for producing a reaction counteracting the lateral reaction produced by the angle position of the blade, whereby the grader moves in straight direction behind a towing vehicle.

Still another and more specific object is to provide a snow grader of the character set out above which includes a main frame and a blade mounted thereon, and means for changing the lateral angle and the tilting position of the blade, by suitable means under the control of the driver of the towing vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a plan view of a snow grader made according to the present invention and secured to a towing vehicle, and incluzing a portion of that vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the snow grader and the portion of the towing vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view from the rear, taken from the left of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a pair of snow graders and towing vehicles on a ski path or road, indicating the manner of moving the snow from the side edges of the path to the middle;

FIG. 5a is a semi-diagrammatic view in plan of a representation of the grader, indicating forces encountered therein and reaction to those forces;

FIG. 5b is a rear-end view of the device of FIGfSa, showing the blade tilted, with one end deeper in the snow than the other;

FIG. 5c is a view similar to FIG. 5a but indicating other forces; and

FIG. Ed is a view similar to FIG. 5c but indicating still other forces occasioned by a different position of the blade.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings attention is directed to FIGS. 1-3 showing the snow grader and a portion of a towing vehicle. The snow grader is indicated in its entirety at 10 and the towing vehicle at 12. The towing vehicle 1.2 may be of any desired character and has a frame element or drawbar 14 to which is connected a universal connection 16 which also connects the snow grader. This connection is universal about transverse axes, namely a vertical axis 18 about which the snow grader can pivot or swing laterally and a transverse axis 20 about which it can pivot or swing vertically.

The universal connection 16 may be of any known type, and the snow grader 10 is made up of parts and components that in themselves are of known character, but put together and operating in a novel arrangement according to the present invention. Therefore the details of construction of the individual parts and components of the snow grader will not be described in detail.

The snow grader 10 includes a rigid main frame22, and at its forward end 24 includes an element of the universal connection 16; the main frame 22 at its rear end is secured to a compactor bar 26 which acts as the means by which the rear end of the main frame is supported, this compact bar riding on the ground, or snow.

The main frame 22 may be rather narrow in transverse direction (FIG. ll) while the compactor bar 26 is of substantial width, or transverse dimension, e.g., similar to that of the towing vehicle, but of course this relation may vary widely. It is to be pointed out that the main frame is connected with the towing vehicle at a single point, enabling free trailing action of the snow grader, and the transverse dimension, or width, of the compactor bar provides stability of the snow grader about a central longitudinal horizontal axis. The main frame 22 and compactor bar may be formed by suitable elements secured together as by welding.

Mounted on the main frame 22 is a blade 28 of known kind. This blade is mounted for various movements including vertical bodily movement, angular movement about vertical axes, and tilting movements about longitudinal horizontal axes, the latter for lowering either end thereof relative to the other, for producing an effect constituting a principal feature of the invention, as described fully hereinbelow.

The means for mounting the blade 28 on the main frame includes various pivotal means which are either universal in character, or are provided with sufficient play to enable the blade to be moved in the various directions specified hereinbelow. The mounting means is indicated in its entirety at 30 and includes a component 32 itself including a transverse bracket 34 and an end bracket 36 both rigidly secured to the blade on the rear side of the latter.

The mounting means 30 also includes a plate 38 pivoted at its rear end in the main frame on a transverse horizontal axis 40 for vertical swinging movement, and its front end is pivotally connected on a vertical axis at 42 in the bracket 34, and thereby carries the blade 28.

A lifting jack, or cylinder, 44 is connected between the main frame and the plate 38 for vertically swinging the plate and thereby lifting or lowering the blade bodily. The connecting means at the pivot axis 42 not only enables the blade to swing about a vertical axis, but to be tilted about horizontal axes, which may be generally designated longitudinal, but which may vary from straight longitudinal according to the angled positon of the blade. A pair of angling jacks or cylinders 46 are pivotally connected to the main frame at the sides, for example, on vertical axes 48 and are connected with the bracket 34 on the blade, at spaced vertical axes 50 and acting oppositely, areoperative for positioning the blade angularly, to have one end foremost and the other trailing. The mounting means also includes a tilt cylinder 52 which is interconnected between the end bracket 36 and the upper portion of the main frame 22 (FIG. 2) for tilting the blade about longitudinal horizontal axes, i.e., for lowering either end relative to the opposite end.

The jacks 44, 46, 52 preferably are hydraulic in nature, and they are provided with hydraulic lines indicated generally at 54 and leading to the towing vehicle 12 for connection with control means under the control of the operator of the towing vehicle.

The blade 28, under the control of the operator of the vehicle, is movable in three different directions; (a) bodily vertically about the horizontal axis 40 under the control of the jack 44; (b) angularly about vertical axis' 42 under the control of the jacks 46, and (c) in tilting direction under the control of the jack 52.

The device of the invention, althoguh particularly adapted to moving snow onto the center of a ski trail, is not limited thereto and may be used for moving snow laterally in any manner, such as ofi of the road, as will be understood. For purposes of exemplification, the following description has to do with moving snow from the sides of a ski trail onto the center thereof. Such a situation is depicted in FIG. 4 where a ski trail is indicated at 56 from which the snow 58 has been displaced or scattered by the skiers into piles or ridges or Windrows 58s at the sides. It then becomes necessary to replace the snow onto the center of the trail and for that purpose the snow grader is utilized. In FIG. 4 two such snow graders are shown, with the blades 28 angled oppositely, moving the snow into the center of the trail as indicated at 58c.

In accordance with the principal feature of the invention, the snow grader trails freely behind the towing vehicle, in both lateral and vertical directions, and maintains its own positon laterally of the longitudinal direction of movement according to the internal actions and reactions in the operation of moving the snow. However, the positioning of the blade in and relative to the grader is controlled by the operator.

For the purpose of explaining the internal forces in volved in the snow grader, and its functioning, attention is directed to FIGS. Sa-Sd showing an instrumentality" indicatively representing the snow grader, and in these various figures are indications or representations showing the various forces encountered and the reaction forces counteracting them. A member 64 is shown which indicatively represents the snow grader, and is in the form of a T having a stem 66 which represents the blade 28. The cross bar 68 is pivoted on the stem 66 on a vertical axis 69 so as to be positionable angularly as in FIGS. 50 and 5d, and for convenience it is identified as having a left hand portion 68L and a right hand portion 68R. It is also pivoted on a central longitudinal axis 70. The leading end of the stem 66 is connected with the universal joint 16 which for convenience in the present explanation may include a ring 71 which is then connected with the draw bar 14 of the towing vehicle.

If, for example, the device 64 should be towed behind a towing vehicle with the cross bar 68 (blade) FIG. 5a in position perpendicular to the stem 66 and engaging the snow at random, or the same positions transversely, it would trail in straight direction.

It will be appreciated that in a snow grader, the blade is angled for moving or pushing the snow sideways, and that action produces a reaction tending to move or push the grader in the opposite direction. FIGS. 5:, 5d represent such a phenomenon. In such a situation, the snow encountered is pushed to the right as indicated by the dotted-line arrows 58e. The reaction is indicated by the arrow 76 indicating movement of the grader, or tendency to move it, in the opposite direction, or to the left. Any angled position of the blade and forward movement according to the arrow 15 of FIG. 1 as will be understood, moves the snow to the right and the tendency to move the blade to the left.

If however, one end of the cross bar 68 should be dipped or depressed or moved downwardly into the snow as represented in FIG. 5b, and the right end 68R necessarily raised, the result would be movement of the device 64 to the right, or tendency to move it in that direction, as represented by the arrow 74 since there is no snow, or less snow, working against the right hand portion 68R of the cross bar. The snow piled against the left hand portion 68L of the cross bar is indicated at SSL, and this snow thus working against the cross bar tends to push the device 64 (or snow grader 10) to the right. It is not necessary that the right end of the cross bar be out of the snow in order for the device to function as explained, but only to engage less mass of snow than the left end and it will tend to move in the direction indicated (to the right) a greater or lesser extent according to lesser or greater mass of snow engaged by the higher end.

Because of the action of the device as explained above in connection with FIGS. 50, 5b, with the left end of the blade positioned deeper in the snow (as in FIG. Sb), the counteracting forces represented by the arrows 74, 76 are brought into play and those forces counteract each other with the result that the snow grader trails straight behind the towing vehicle.

The compactor bar 26 being of substantial width such for example as about the width of the towing vehicle, produces a stabilizing effect on the main frame 22 and thereby on the blade 28, and thereby controlling, to an extent, the degree to which the blade penetrates into the snow at its lower end. Since the snow grader is free trailing there is no constraint or tie-in with the vehicle which positions the snow grader either transversely or vertically. The snow grader trails directly and straight behind the towing vehicle as a result of the intemal forces in the snow grader, i.e., the tendency because of the angle of the blade pushing the snow to the right which tends to push the snow grader to the left, and the other force which because of the left end being inserted deeper into the snow than the right end, tend ing to move the snow grader t the right. The conditions of the snow as to whether it is deep, wide, etc. of course have an effect on the action of the snow grader and the operator of the towing vehicle can control the snow grader as to the positioning of the blade, that is, whether it should bP angled more, or less, or tilted more, or less, or even raised or lowered bodily.

It will be understood that in the above description the placement of the left end of the blade in leading direction is solely an example, and the effect would be the same if the right end were so placed, but all relations and effects connected therewith would be in the opposite sense.

ll. A snow grader comprising,

a single main frame, centrally located, longitudinally elongated, and narrow,

connector means on the front end of the main frame operative, when secured to a towing vehicle, for forming a connection for universal movement of the snow grader relative to the towing vehicle about an effectively single point, enabling relatively free trailing movement of the snow grader following that point, and forming the sole connection between the snow grader and the towing vehicle,

a compactor bar secured to the main frame adjacent the rear end of the latter, of transverse dimension substantially greater than the main frame, and resting on the snow and constituting the sole means for supporting the snow grader except said connector means, the compactor bar having a broad-area bottom surface extending its full transverse dimension and extending a substantial extent longitudinally of the snow grader, and riding on top of the snow without tendency to guide the snow grader laterally or to displace the snow on which it rides, when the snow grader is towed,

a blade mounted on the main frame extending generally transversely thereof and of substantial transverse dimension, and

means for adjustably positioning the blade angularly about a vertical axis, and also angulary about a longitudinal, generally horizontal axis.

2. A snow grader according to claim 1, wherein the blade extends transversely through a range similar to the transverse dimension of a compactor bar.

3. A snow grader according to claim 2 wherein the compactor bar is rigid with the main frame, and serves to stabilize the entire snow grader about said longitudinal axis.

4. A snow grader according to claim 1, wherein the blade is angled relative to a vertical axis to a position in which it is at an acute angle to the direction of movement of the grader, forming a leading end and a trailing end of the blade, and wherein the blade is also angled relative to a longitudinal, generally horizontal axis to a position in which the leading end of the blade is lower than the trailing end.

5. A snow grader according to claim 4 and including means operative for vertically adjusting the blade bodily.

6. A snow grader according to claim 1 wherein the compactor bar is at the extreme rear end of the main frame, and the blade is mounted on the main frame at a position forwardly of the compactor bar.

7. A snow grader according to claim 1 in conjunction with said towing vehicle, and wherein the snow grader is secured to the towing vehicle in the manner referred 

1. A snow grader comprising, a single main frame, centrally located, longitudinally elongated, and narrow, connector means on the front end of the main frame operative, when secured to a towing vehicle, for forming a connection for universal movement of the snow grader relative to the towing vehicle about an effectively single point, enabling relatively free trailing movement of the snow grader following that point, and forming the sole connection between the snow grader and the towing vehicle, a compactor bar secured to the main frame adjacent the rear end of the latter, of transverse dimension substantially greater than the main frame, and resting on the snow and constituting the sole means for supporting the snow grader except said connector means, the compactor bar having a broad-area bottom surface extending its full transverse dimension and extending a substantial extent longitudinally of the snow grader, and riding on top of the snow without tendency to guide the snow grader laterally or to displace the snow on which it rides, when the snow grader is towed, a blade mounted on the main frame extending generally transversely thereof and of substantial transverse dimension, and means for adjustably positioning the blade angularly about a vertical axis, and also angulary about a longitudinal, generally horizontal axis.
 2. A snow grader according to claim 1, wherein the blade extends transversely through a range similar to the transverse dimension of a compactor bar.
 3. A snow grader according to claim 2 wherein the compactor bar is rigid with the main frame, and serves to stabilize the entire snow grader about said longitudinal axis.
 4. A snow grader according to claim 1, wherein the blade is angled relative to a vertical axis to a position in which it is at an acute angle to the direction of movement of the grader, forming a leading end and a trailing end of the blade, and wherein the blade is also angled relative to a longitudinal, generally horizontal axis to a position in which the leading end of the blade is lower than the trailing end.
 5. A snow grader according to claim 4 and including means operative for vertically adjusting the blade bodily.
 6. A snow grader according to claim 1 wherein the compactor bar is at the extreme rear end of the main frame, and the blade is mounted on the main frame at a position forwardly of the compactor bar.
 7. A snow grader according to claim 1 in conjunction with said towing vehicle, and wherein the snow grader is secured to the towing vehicle in the manner referred to in claim
 1. 